September 20th, 2007

Living a greener life #3- Home composting

Posted by Alex Payson at 10:06 am

In the last two weeks I have covered joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), and then building a backyard grill with which to cook your awesome local foods.

Today I will cover what you can do with the food scraps or produce that occasionally goes bad before you can use it.

Home composting varies from the simple (an open pile of scraps mixed with leaves/grass/mulch) to multi-compartment insulated bins that retain the heat and allow easy turning and rotation of the compost.

Personally I have opted for a large black plastic compost bin. It has vents on the side for aeration, a lid on the top, and the black color helps heat the contents (increasing the heat and oxygen flow to your compost will speed the rate at which your compost will biodegrade back into nutrient-rich soil).

Here in Rhode Island you can buy one of these home compost bins at a discounted price (about $50) at the state recycling center in Johnston.

As far as what you can add to your compost pile- anything organic will compost. That said, many people do not recommend adding meat/fat to your compost as it can increase the odor output and in certain areas attract pests. You want to mix in layers of food scraps with leaves or other mulch- most guides advise to add a bit more mulch than food scraps for optimal composting.

Depending on the size and heat reached in your compost pile the contents can completely compost in anywhere from a few months to a year or two. Turning your compost to oxygenate it as well as increasing the heat of the pile are the main methods to promote rapid decomposition.

Once the composting has finished, you will have some of the best organic fertilizer for your garden or lawn you can get.

Happy composting!

Posted in General news, Our causes